Tokushima Prefecture Tourism Information

The prefectural capital of Tokushima is Tokushima City. The population of the prefecture is 786,000 people. Tokushima was once called “Awa country” because chestnut was taken in the area, which was once ruled by Sengoku Daimyo Mr. Miyoshi.There are famous tourism resources such as “Awa Odori,” “Naruto no Uzushio (Whirlpools of Naruto),” “Iyakei (Iya Valley),” “Oboke-Koboke,” “Tsurugi-san (Mt. Tsurugi),” and “Yoshino River.” “Naruto no Uzushio (Whirlpools),” a strait that is located between Magosaki in the city of Naruto and Awaji Island, are seen at low tide and high tide. “Uzu no Michi (Road of Vortex)” is the prefectural facility that was installed in the girders of the Onaruto Bridge, and the air promenade that extends to 450m makes you feel as if you were standing on the sea and looking down into the whirlpools.

Moreover, there is also a powerful look at a stone’s throw away in the whirlpools cruise ship, feeling the sense of smell of the tide. “Yoshino River” is the largest river in Shikoku, which is 192km totl length and accounts for 20% of the Shikoku area. There is “Oboke-Koboke”, the valley that was born through 200 million years, in the basin, and it is famous for rafting and Oboke sightseeing boat down the valley.“Tsurugi-san (Mt. Tsurugi)” is the second highest mountain in West Japan, which is a religious sacred mountain of 1955m altitude, and it is higher mountain to Mount Ishizuchii. The mountain is relatively easy to climb thanks to a mountain lift. “Awa Odori” is one of the nation’s largest festivals, which more than one million tourists visit every year, and is the lantern festival dance that can be called typical presence of Tokushima tourism. The slogan of the dance, “The fool dancing, the fool seeing, if both are fool, it’s a loss not to dance.” is famous, and the dance “Awa Odori” is listed in the three major Japanese lantern festivals along with “Nishimonai no Bon Odori” in Ugo town in Akita Prefecture and “Gujo Odori”. “Awa Odori” is the largest festival of the prefecture of Tokushima and tourists flock to see it from all over the country. In Tokushima Awa Odori Kaikan, you can watch Awa Odori even if it is not a festival season.

There are some local cuisines such as “Soba-gome Zousui (buckwheat rice porridge),” the fruit of buckwheat boiled with vegetablesand meat, and “Bouze no Sugata Zushi,” which is made from “Bouze (butterfish)” and “Japanese citrus.”